We bring you a small list with the 14 best websites to download applications and programs safelyso you can find the tools you need for your computer. Some pages of this type can end up playing tricks on you by installing programs that you did not want without your permission, so it is a good idea to have on hand those that are safe and recommended.
Here, the recommendation is always download the programs from the official website as far as possible. But sometimes, when you want to install more than one or want to find different types of tools, it can also be useful to turn to third-party repositories, and sometimes even the developers themselves may upload their tools there.
GitHub
We start with GitHub, which continues to be one of the reference portals to find and download open source projects. Its goal is to offer a platform for developers to upload their creations, which can range from tools to games. On the Github pages you will find the source code of these creations, so that everyone can freely access them.
In the profiles of most programs uploaded to Github repositories you can also find download sectionswhere you can download the source code or installer of each application or tool. They are clean and safe installers, controlled directly by the developers, who are the ones who decide to offer their program for free.
SourceForge
It is, together with Github, the other great platform for hosting open source programs. In it, developers will be able to show the rest of the users the code of their tools, and you will also have a download section to download them on the platforms for which they are compatible.
It has a voting and comment system so you can see the opinion of other users about each of the projects, and a search engine so you can find the one you need. In addition, in the file for each program you have its license, the list of updates, screenshots and everything you need.
AlternativeTo
This website has been a great reference for years for those who want find applications similar to others. Come on, if you want an alternative to a certain application, search for that program and it will show you a list of all those that are similar.
In both the reference app and the alternatives you will have sheets that tell you about them, and links for downloads. They do not host the programs, they take you to the links of their official websites, notifying you if there is any warning that the tool has recently contained a virus.
European Alternatives
This is another page where you can find alternatives to popular applications and services, but it focuses on offer you European alternatives. Thus, if for your privacy you prefer to search European alternatives to browsers, office services or social networks, this is the portal to visit.
Ninite
Ninite It has been one of the most recommended websites for downloading applications for a few years, especially when you need to download several at once and don’t want to have to deal with dozens of downloads. Ninite offers you a single installer to install multiple applications at once selected by you. This makes it an essential portal to equip new computers.
Its repertoire of applications is small, but just by entering the website you can see a list with all the available tools organized by categories. So you just have to choose the applications you want to installand then the website will generate a link for you to download them all.
MajorGeeks
This is a website specialized in the dissemination of freeware, which is what proprietary software is called that, without having to have open source, decides to disseminate completely free of charge. This means that it is the creators themselves who have decided to distribute it for free. All programs offered are of high qualityalthough the catalog is not very extensive.
The appearance of the page is old, but keeps updating with great frequency. In addition, this design also means that you can access it from any device. You will install all the applications easily without an installer that tries to sneak in additions.
APKMirror
All the websites that we have told you so far are designed for computer applications. But this is the most important website to download Android apps. It is the best repository of APK files that you are going to find, although I already warn you that sometimes browsing it is a little confusing due to the lot of advertising it has.
The website of this service has an index with the latest app updates, and also a search engine and a category system in which you can discover new applications or games. In addition, you can also find to download the different versions that the same application has had.
F-Droid
Possibly this is the great alternative to APKMirror when it comes to offering you installable files for your Android mobile. It is another of the pages where you will find the same apps as in the official application stores, but also other completely free ones that are not in them.
Flathub
This is the reference application store for those looking for Flatpak apps for GNU/Linux. On this website you will find the latest versions of your favorite Linux applications, which They will work for any distribution that you are using.
SnapFiles
A repository to download all types of applications, with different categories for different types of free app licenselike one for freeware and another for shareware. It also gives you a list of latest releases and some useful app suggestions so you can discover new programs.
It also includes a category for portable applications that do not require installation, something useful if you want to carry the most useful ones on a USB. In addition, it also has a list of the best rated ones. In each program you will be able to see the rating that both the website editors and the users have given it.
Download Crew
Another page where you can find a large number of programs to download, all of them visible in various lists such as recommended, most viewed or most downloaded. In each of these lists, you can specify the type of license for those cases in which you are only looking for open source or freeware.
On this page you will be able to find free and paid applications for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android. In each of them you will be given a rating, you will be told the type of license it has and whether it is a free or paid program, even indicating the price of the complete license.
FileHorse
Another software repository in which quantity is not sought, since it does not have such a large catalog, but quality. It focuses on offer the best and most useful programsadding screenshots so you can know what to expect and what it looks like.
Its main page has a small group of categories in which all the programs are distributed, and in each of them you will know the compatibility it has, you will find change lists for each update and you can also download previous versions.
FilePuma
A repository that seeks simplicity above all, with a simple but well-organized page where at a glance you can see the highlights of each type of program. Offers screenshots and old versions to download each of the programs.
softpedia
It is one of the largest pages to find and download almost any type of program and application, with more than a million of them organized into different categories. You can find applications, drivers and games for Windows, Mac, Android and Linux. However, there is a reason why we have left it for the end of the list, although due to its huge program base it is always a useful resource.
And Softpedia It is not a page as safe as others on the listbecause when you do it it is through an installer that suggests you install adware and apps you don’t need. When you see it, it is easy to decline that invitation to download the added content, but it is necessary to pay attention to avoid inconveniences.
FossHub
In the past it was a great platform where you could find almost any application and its latest versions. However, currently It has been stopped since February 2025so it is no longer a reference.
This means that you can still find a large number of applications on this portal where everything is organized by categories. However, you will no longer find its latest versions.
The app store on your device
Both Windows and macOS, GNU/Linux, Android and iOS They have their own native app storesand in them you will always find programs that have passed certain security filters provided by those responsible for the operating system.
Many important applications may not be present in the Windows App Store or the Mac App Store, but it is always a good place to start when looking for programs you want to install. In addition, there are comment sections where you can see the opinions and complaints of other users who have installed the program.
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